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| First cataract surgery on penguins: 'We saw clouds in their eyes' |
From Asia's largest aviary, they were transported in cold air-conditioned vans sitting in buckets filled with ice.
After a quick journey of 30 km, three giant penguins and three Humboldt penguins arrived at a clinic east of Singapore.
There, a five-member team of veterinary doctors was waiting for him for a critical eye operation. This operation is believed to be the world's first penguin eye operation.
The cataracts were removed from the eyes of these six penguins. After a certain age, old animals develop such a problem which causes their vision to be obstructed. After removing the membranes, intraocular lenses were implanted in their eyes.
The Mandai Wildlife Group (MWG) said the lenses were developed in Germany after measuring each penguin's eyes to fit them precisely. It took about two months to make. The group oversees the management of about 21,000 animals spanning nearly 1,000 species across four wildlife parks in Singapore.
Allan Rashidy, a veterinarian at MWG, said: 'We saw clouds in their eyes and [that they] were acting like they were having trouble seeing things in front of them.'
Immediately afterward, the penguins were placed outside the water in a separate area from the rest of their companions. Medicines are put in their eyes daily.
The work took about two-and-a-half hours on each penguin, and now, about three months later, the waterfowl can see clearly, along with a noticeable increase in their response and activity levels.
MWG has performed cataract surgery in the past on other animals such as giant seals and orangutans. It has also adopted innovations such as 3D printing protective boots for birds of prey to potentially treat a fatal foot disease.
But Dr. Gladys Bowe, the veterinary ophthalmologist who led the operation, believes it may be the first time intraocular lens implants have been successfully performed on penguins. He said it was a 'milestone' in veterinary medicine.
Dr. Bo is one of only three people from Southeast Asian countries to be certified by the prestigious vet organization, the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.
"As a relatively large species, king penguins have large and stable eyes that are capable of holding their lenses in place, so we decided to adopt a method that would It was the first such operation in the world.
The surgery was complicated by the unique characteristics of penguins. For example, they have a third eyelid to protect their eyes and keep their eyes safe underwater, but they tended to close during surgery.
MWG declined to disclose the cost of the surgery but said it was done to improve the penguin's quality of life.
The penguin's eye condition was diagnosed by Dr. Bo during a check-up last August as part of MWG's senior animal care project. This work of special care for old animals has been going on since 2017.
It involves regular health checks for 361 senior animals and special adjustments are made to support them along with special diets. For example, a low-level bed or bed is built for their comfort, and extra padding or bedding is added to their preferred resting areas.
These penguins live in Singapore's Jurong Bird Park the park is a popular tourist attraction that is home to around 5,000 birds.
King penguins are native to the South Atlantic and South Indian Oceans and are the second largest birds of their species in the world, while Humboldt penguins come from South America. The former penguin can live up to 40 years in captivity while the latter usually live for 15-20 years.